by TRC_Admin | Mar 7, 2020 | Codes, Legal, Uncategorized
Photo: State of Florida
“…SB 954 (Perry) and CS/CS/HB 459 (Overdorf) preempt local governments from adopting zoning and development regulations that require specific building design elements for single- and two-family dwellings, unless certain conditions are met. The bills define the term “building design elements” to mean exterior color, type or style of exterior cladding; style or material of roof structures or porches; exterior nonstructural architectural ornamentation; location or architectural styling of windows or doors; and number, type, and layout of rooms.
The bills provide a limited exemption from the preemption by allowing allow local governments to adopt and enforce regulations that require “building design elements” for single- and two-family dwellings only if they are listed on the Historical Preservation Registry, housed within a Community Redevelopment Agency or if regulations are adopted in order to implement the National Flood Insurance Program.
The bills also allow a substantially affected person to petition the Florida Building Commission to review a local government regulation to determine if the regulation is actually an unauthorized amendment to the Building Code. ”
— Florida League of Cities
Read entire alert here
Read St Petersburg city staff presentation on this subject here
Florida Senate Bill 459
by TRC_Admin | Sep 29, 2018 | Uncategorized
Photo: Sandy Arpen – John Crescimbini with Amy Fu, Vice Chair of Jacksonville’s Environmental Protection Board
“John Crescimbini was awarded the 2018 Charles E. Bennett Champion of the Environment Award from the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board. The award, which is the EPB’s highest award, was be presented to John on September 14. Last year Bill Brinton received this award posthumously.
Photo: Sandy Arpen – John Crescimbini with Jason Ellis of City Beautiful Jax, Janet Stanko of the Sierra Club, Alicia Grant of Scenic Jacksonville, Inc., Tracey Arpen of City Beautiful Jax and Anna Dooley of Greenscape
The award is named for the late Congressman Charlie Bennett, who was instrumental in establishing the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve in Jacksonville, which now covers. 46,000 acres. He served in Congress for 44 years. Like John, he was a dedicated and hard-working public servant, at one point going 26 years without missing a single roll call vote!”
— Scenic Florida
Environmental Protection Board
by TRC_Admin | Jun 2, 2018 | Mobile Advertising, Uncategorized
Video: ABC Action News
“Digital license plates are about to go mainstream in Florida, and it could help save taxpayers millions.
According to NBC News, a company called Reviver Auto has developed electronic license plates, dubbed Rplates.
Rplates are now on sale in California, and will be available in Arizona, Texas and Florida in the near future…
With a click of a button, you could have your favorite sports team, show off your alma mater or support your favorite cause.
Each plate’s unique characters are constantly displayed…
If given permission advertisers could display ads on someone’s tag. The feature is available while a car is parked.
According to the state, Section 320.06(5), Florida Statutes [leg.state.fl.us], allows the department to evaluate technologies for alternative license plates; however, no pilot program is currently in place.
The company hopes to have the pilot program in place in Florida later this year.
Privacy/safety concerns
NBC News interviewed Dr. Ashraf Gaffar, an assistant professor of engineering at Arizona State University, who studies automotive technologies. He agreed that digital license plates could offer some benefits but cautioned that they might introduce other problems.
‘Driver distraction is one of the biggest killers of teenagers in the United States,’ said Gaffar, who is not affiliated with Reviver. ‘Having one more thing to look at while we’re driving will take our eyes off the road for a second or two more, which will have some side effects.’
Gaffer also warned that electronic plates could be ‘fertile ground for hackers,’ and could raise privacy concerns. He said more research is needed before the digital plates go mainstream.
— Andrew Ruiz, ABC Action News
Read entire article and view video
by TRC_Admin | Apr 30, 2018 | Uncategorized
Photo: 2018 FDOT Scenic Highway Calendar
The Florida Scenic Highways Program (FSHP) publishes calendars that use employee photos to “celebrate the diversity of sights and activities along our Florida Scenic Highways”. Previous year’s calendars remain popular since many people enjoy looking through the photos long after the calendar is outdated and they are downloadable in order to allow them to be printed.
FDOT’s 2017 20th Anniversary Calendar
FDOT’s 2018 Calendar
Visit FDOT Scenic Highway Program
by TRC_Admin | Dec 28, 2017 | Uncategorized
Photo: The Beaches of Ft. Myers and Sanibel
